This tour is NOT for the faint of heart and should only be undertaken by the most serious devotees of Abraham Lincoln. This bold tour is a multi-day trek across the entirety of Lincoln’s Eighth Judicial in all of its forms.

Springfield

Springfield is the heart of Lincoln country. Lincoln lived in Springfield from 1837 until 1861. In his nearly 24 years here, the people of city had an enormous impact on his life. While visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Lincoln’s Home, the Old State Capitol, Lincoln’s Law offices and the Lincoln Depot, visitors will begin to understand how this man grew from a fledgling lawyer to a President.

Springfield provides insights into Lincoln’s personal life as well as his political career. Lincoln was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery because this community meant so much to him. But Springfield isn’t just about Lincoln. It is a state capital with museums and sites appropriate to a capital city. Route 66 cuts through Springfield and attracts visitors from all over the world. There are attractions for children including a water park and a zoo and even a beautifully totally restored Frank Lloyd Wright home.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Lincoln's home in downtown Springfield has proved irresistible to visitors since it first opened to the public in 1887. Constructed in 1839 and beautifully restored to its 1860 appearance, the 12-room, Greek Revival house was Abraham and Mary Lincoln's home for 17 years. Today, the Lincoln's home draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Admission to tour the house is free, but tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Each tour is limited to no more than 17. Pick up a ticket inside the Lincoln Home Visitor Center to sign up for the 20-25 minute tour inside the house.

The ranger-led tour focuses mainly on the Lincoln family in the seventeen years they resided in the house on the corner of Eighth and Jackson Streets. Lincoln's rise as a successful lawyer and politician, along with his 1860 presidential campaign are also explored. Follow in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln as you explore the historic neighborhood surrounding his home of seventeen years. Restored to its 1860 appearance, the four-block area contains twelve historic structures dating back to Lincoln's time.

As you stroll through the neighborhood, learn about Mr. Lincoln's neighbors and daily life in 1860s Springfield. The Dean House and the Arnold House are open to the public and contain exhibits on the Lincoln Home and the restoration and preservation of the neighborhood.

Lincoln-Herndon Law Office

The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices are within the only remaining building in which Abraham Lincoln maintained a law office. The site consists of the surviving portion of a three-story brick commercial block constructed in 1840-41. Exterior details reflect the then-popular Greek Revival architectural style. Though designed as a commercial structure, portions of the building were rented for offices and other purposes. Lincoln practiced law in the building from 1843 to about 1852. During his 1847-1849 tenure as a United States Congressman, partner William H. Herndon (1818-1891) maintained the practice. In 1978 the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a part of the Central Springfield Historic District.

The “restored” building’s first floor visitor center consists of an exhibit gallery and audiovisual theater, along with a room interpreted as an 1840s post office facility. On the second floor are rooms representing those used by the federal court, and on the third floor a "common room" and three lawyers’ offices. Two of the offices were used by Lincoln and his partners, prominent local attorneys Herndon and Stephen T. Logan (1800-1880). The recreated offices are notable for the plainness and disorder that were remembered by Lincoln associates.

Lincoln-Herndon Law Office

After viewing an orientation video, visitors receive a twenty-minute guided tour of the historic rooms. On Wednesdays during the summer months, a costumed interpreter portrays Lincoln’s law clerk. Exhibits in the visitor center provide information on Lincoln’s legal career and life on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. The building is fully accessible to persons with disabilities. The Tinsley Dry Goods Store gift shop is contiguous to the Lincoln-Herndon building.

Old State Capitol Historic Site

The Old State Capitol is a reconstruction of Illinois’ fifth statehouse, the first to be located in Springfield. The building served as the seat of state government and a center of Illinois political life from 1839 to 1876. During the dramatic years leading to the Civil War, the building had an important role in the political struggle between Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Lincoln visited the building frequently as both a lawyer and a politician, serving in the building during his last term in the Illinois House of Representatives and delivering the famous 1858 “House Divided” speech in Representatives Hall, and using the governor’s rooms as a headquarters during the 1860 presidential campaign. The building was the scene of the assassinated President’s final laying-in-state on May 3-4, 1865.

The Greek Revival-style building was completely reconstructed in the 1960s. The first floor is composed of a central hall flanked by rooms interpreting government offices, two libraries, and the supreme courtroom. A complex of first-floor rooms also provides an audiovisual theatre and staff offices. Recreated second floor spaces include a magnificent rotunda, legislative chambers, and smaller offices and meeting rooms. The building is located in the center of a large landscaped yard surrounded by a replica of the original 1850s ornamental iron fence. In 1961 the building was designated a National Historic Landmark and in 1966 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Old State Capitol Historic Site

Visitors to the Old State Capitol may take a 30-minute interpreter-conducted tour or view the rooms on their own. Also available are a 15-minute orientation video on the building’s history. The building is fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

Lincoln Tomb

Dedicated in 1874, Lincoln Tomb is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife Mary, and three of their four sons, Edward, William, and Thomas. The eldest son, Robert T. Lincoln, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Also on the site is the public receiving vault, constructed ca. 1860, the scene of funeral services for Abraham Lincoln on May 4, 1865. In 1960 the Tomb was designated a National Historic Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Interior rooms of the Tomb are finished in a highly polished marble trimmed with bronze. The south entrance opens into a rotunda, where two corridors lead into the burial chamber. The rotunda and corridors contain reduced-scale reproductions of important Lincoln statues as well as plaques with excerpts from Lincoln’s Springfield farewell speech, the Gettysburg Address, and his Second Inaugural Address. Lincoln’s remains rest in a concrete vault ten feet below the marble floor of the burial chamber. A massive granite cenotaph marking the gravesite is flanked by the Presidential flag and flags of the states in which the Lincoln family resided. Crypts in the chamber’s south wall hold the remains of Lincoln’s wife and three of their sons.

The Oak Ridge Cemetery public receiving vault, the scene of President Lincoln’s funeral, is located at the base of a hill north of the Tomb. For tour groups of fifteen or more please acquire a reservation by calling the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-545-7300

Oak Ridge Cemetery

Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery is the second most visited cemetery in the United States, surpassed only by Arlington National Cemetery. This is for one reason: it contains the tomb of our most revered president, Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln's Tomb serves as the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife and all but one of his children, Robert, who is buried at Arlington. Yet Oak Ridge contains several other historical figures, including five governors of Illinois. Its hilly terrain makes it an exceptionally beautiful cemetery.

The Cemetery also has exceptional memorials for the Korean War, World War II and the Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum

Occupying an entire city block in downtown Springfield, Illinois, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is the largest Presidential Museum. With over 50,000 square feet devoted to state-of-the-art full-immersion exhibits, special effects theaters and displays of original artifacts, it is also the first major experience museum of its kind.

Instead of the traditional museum design of static exhibits with flat images and dead objects in glass boxes, this Museum employs 21st century technology to bring 19th century history to life. Bringing education, storytelling, and advanced entertainment technology together in a truly innovative way, the museum invites, guides, and envelops visitors in the life and times of Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library

Visitors and scholars have access to a great and extensive collection of materials relating to Abraham Lincoln and his era through a variety of venues. Included as well is an Education Department.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library is the, 98,000-square-foot building is the new home of the Illinois State Historical Library and its world-renown Henry Horner Lincoln Collection. It houses 12 million books, documents and artifacts, 47,000 of which are artifacts from the Lincoln Collection, the world's largest. This collection includes, among other artifacts, an original copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th amendment outlawing slavery, the Gettysburg Address, and Lincoln’s presidential briefcase, all of which had been stored in a vault for more than 100 years. These, as well as other items are on rotating display at the museum.

Illinois State Museum

Visit the Illinois State Museum on the south side of the State Capitol complex. Permanent and changing exhibits tell the story of Illinois’ land, life, people, and art. A completely new natural history hall, Changes: Dynamic Illinois Environments reveals the exciting changes in Illinois environments over the last 500 million years. Interactive elements, thrilling audio and video effects, life-sized dioramas and thousands of authentic fossils and specimens illustrate the processes that shaped and continue to transform Illinois’ diverse environments. Children can see, hear, and touch in A Place for Discovery. The Museum Store offers a unique shopping experience with a wide selection of high-quality crafts made by juried Illinois artisans, as well as educational toys, scientific games, books, and gifts.

Learn more about Lincoln’s Illinois by spending a few hours in this wonderful museum!

Lincoln Library

Nestled a short jaunt between the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Abraham Lincoln National Home Site, the Lincoln Library is the largest public library in Sangamon County. Maintaining a main branch in addition to a Southeast and a West Branch, this Library system offers not only fully up-to-date resources for research but is also home to the Sangamon County Historical Society and the Sangamon Valley Collection. This collection provides in-depth resources for the study of Springfield, Sangamon County and the eleven adjacent counties. The collection was established in 1970. Examples of items to be found here are: photographs, city and county directories, high school yearbooks, city and county documents, long-range planning reports and surveys, histories, and maps.

The Sangamon Valley Collection provides in-depth resources for the study of Springfield, Illinois, Sangamon County and the eleven adjacent counties. The collection, established in 1970, contains materials from the past and present.

Springfield Union Station

Illinois Visitor Center

Delivering information to visitors that reflects not only Springfield area historic sites and attractions but Illinois tourism as a whole. The Illinois Visitor Center at Union Station is strategically located across from the ALPLM. Additional services available on-site include booking of hotel accommodations and special event packages that are scheduled across Illinois.

Union Square Park

The 86,000 square-foot Union Square Park is located directly across the street from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and has been the location of many free events and performances, including the 33rd Illinois Vol. Regiment Band and the 10th Illinois Vol. Cavalry Regiment Band (both Civil War re-enactment groups); Mary Lincoln’s Strawberry Party (a summertime family event); July 4th celebration, New Century Orchestra, Springfield International Folk Dancers, and many more musical performances throughout the year.

Look for even more events and performances at Union Square Park in the future.

Lincoln Depot

“No one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feelings of sadness at this parting.” Bittersweet words spoken by President-elect Abraham Lincoln as he departed his beloved Springfield for an uncertain future in Washington, D.C.
Today, the Great Western Depot still stands welcoming visitors who want to learn more about the man who left Springfield behind to guide the nation through Civil War. The depot, owned and operated by The State Journal-Register, is located two blocks from Lincoln Home National Historic Site, and staffed daily by National Park Service rangers between May and August. The Depot contains restored waiting rooms (one for ladies and one for the luggage and tobacco-spitting men), exhibits of people and places dear to Lincoln, and a state-of-the-art video presentation recreating the 12-day journey to his inauguration. Make the Great Western Depot a stop on your journey through historic Springfield.

The Great Western Depot is owned and operated by the State-Journal Register and staffed by the National Park Service.

Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site

This site is the birthplace and long-time home of poet (Nicholas) Vachel Lindsay. Lindsay was internationally known in the early-twentieth century for his unique poetry, the artwork he created to illustrate the poetry, and animated performances of his work. Two of his best-known volumes are The Congo (1914) and Collected Poems (1938).

The Vachel Lindsay Home, located just south of the Illinois Executive Mansion, is a two-story frame structure erected prior to the Civil War. The house was originally owned and occupied in the middle 1850's by Clark M. Smith, a leading Springfield merchant. Smith is believed to have moved into this dwelling soon after his marriage to Anna Maria Todd, younger sister of Mary Todd, wife of Abraham Lincoln. It is not only contemporary with the period, but is believed to have had Lincoln as a guest on more than one occasion.

Lindsay’s father purchased the house in 1878 and in 1893 constructed a rear addition to the original L-shaped building. The first floor contains an entry hall, two parlors, library, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and pantry. The second floor comprises a central hall, sewing room, five bedrooms, bathroom, and trunk room. In 1971 the home was designated a National Historic Landmark and in 1972 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Address:
603 S. 5th St., Springfield, IL

Contact:
(217) 524-0901

Hours:
Tues - Sat : 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Lincoln Memorial Garden

A nature center with five miles of wooded trails lead you on a journey through the Illinois landscape. Depending on the season you visit, you could discover springtime dogwoods in full bloom, colorful wildflowers of summer, burnished autumn leaves, or snow-covered maple trees bursting with sap. Located on the shores of Lake Springfield and designed by landscape architect, Jens Jensen.

The Garden represents the landscape Abraham Lincoln would have known growing up and living in the Midwest, containing plants native to the three states he lived in -- Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.

Designed by internationally-known landscape architect Jens Jensen, this 100-acre site features six miles of trails, footbridges, a pond, eight stone council rings, and dozens of wooden benches inscribed with Lincoln quotes.

The woodland and prairie garden beckons to thousands of visitors year round -- families, birdwatchers, photographers, artists, nature enthusiasts, and school children -- to learn about nature and enjoy the wildflowers, trees and wildlife.

Elijah Iles House

The Elijah Iles House was built about 1837 and is Springfield’s oldest house. There is evidence that it was designed by the same architect who designed the Old State Capitol. It is one of Illinois’ earliest residences in the Greek Revival style of architecture. Two of Springfield’s most famous citizens, Abraham Lincoln and poet Nicholas Vachel Lindsay, are known to have visited the house. Lincoln spent time in the house as a guest of Robert Irwin and he enjoyed many a card game in the front parlor. Because of the house’s impressive architecture and rich history, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The house first stood on the southeast corner of Sixth and Cook streets facing west. Its back yard sloped down to a nearby creek, the Town Branch. The slope allowed for a walk-out lower level that contained a kitchen, dining room, servant quarters and storage space. In 1910, the upper wood frame portion of the house was cut in half and moved from that first site to 1825 South Fifth Street. The lower brick level was left behind and probably destroyed with the construction of the First Christian Church on the site.

Petersburg

Petersburg is a scant 2 miles north of New Salem. When Petersburg became the county seat, New Salem residents moved to this new county seat and New Salem gradually disappeared. There are many former residents of New Salem who are buried in Oakland Cemetery including Ann Rutledge who was reputed to be Lincoln’s sweetheart. This tranquil old cemetery is just one of several in the area that date back to the 1800’s.

Edgar Lee Masters who wrote about Lincoln and the many inhabitants of New Salem was a resident of Petersburg and his home is still standing. Masters is also buried in Oakland Cemetery The square, surrounding the old county court house, features shops, antique stores and several restaurants.

Because it is such a quick drive from New Salem to Petersburg, many tired and hungry visitors take advantage of this charming old town to rest and refresh. Like most river towns, Petersburg is picturesque and hilly and filled with beautiful old Victorian houses.

Lincoln’s New Salem State Park

Lincoln's New Salem preserves the site of New Salem village, where young Abraham Lincoln lived for six formative years, from 1831 to 1837. Platted in 1829, the town existed for about twelve years before being abandoned and left to pasture. The centerpiece of Lincoln's New Salem is the imaginative recreation of the log village. Built in the 1930s and 1940s as a Civilian Conservation Corps program, the village features twenty-three historically furnished buildings, including several homes, stores, and tradesmen's shops, as well as a tavern, school, wool carding mill, and a saw- and gristmill. Scattered throughout the village are log barns and other outbuildings.

The historical village is open during site operating hours, and visitors are free to walk through at their own pace. Signs on the log buildings explain various aspects of the village's history, and on most days, especially during tourist season, interpreters dressed in period clothing may be encountered throughout the village. A museum displays artifacts that once belonged to New Salem residents. A video, Turning Point, telling the story of Lincoln's New Salem years, is screened in the auditorium every half hour. The visitor center and concession areas, as well as many of the log houses, are accessible to persons with disabilities.

Menard County Historical Soc. & Museum

The Menard County Historical Society maintains a museum and archives in the former Frackelton Bank. Built in 1889 on the corner of Seventh & Jackson in Petersburg, Illinois, this lovely Victorian-styled building is on the west side of the Menard County Courthouse Square across the street from the Menard County Courthouse. If you would like to learn more about Lincoln and Menard County, then this is the place to visit.

The Historical Society’s Museum is home to valuable books, pictures, genealogy materials, historic displays, circus memorabilia, and other artifacts pertaining to Menard County. The building also houses the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association’s Museum of Land Surveying. The land surveying displays include instruments that tell the early history of land surveying, including instruments similar to those used by Deputy County Surveyor Abraham Lincoln in 1836 when he surveyed the town of Petersburg.

Edgar Lee Masters Home

Edgar Lee Masters was born on August 23, 1868, in Garnett Kansas. . Masters lived in the home that is now a Museum as a child from 1876 to 1881 in Petersburg, Illinois. He wrote brilliantly about the local life and about his hero Lincoln. His home explores the life and legacy of this man, as well as preserves information and exhibit items from this era.

Born on August 23, 1868 to Emma J. Dexter and Hardin Wallace Masters in Garnett, Kansas, his father had briefly moved to set up a law practice. The family soon moved back to his paternal grandparents' farm near Petersburg in Menard County, Illinois. In 1880 they moved to Lewistown, Illinois, where he attended high school and had his first publication in the Chicago Daily News. The culture around Lewistown, in addition to the town's cemetery at Oak Hill, and the nearby Spoon River were the inspirations for many of his works, most notably Spoon River Anthology, his most famous and acclaimed work.

He is also the author of The New Star Chamber and Other Essays, Songs and Satires, The Great Valley, The Serpent in the Wilderness An Obscure Tale, The Spleen, Mark Twain: A Portrait, Lincoln: The Man, and Illinois Poems. In all, Masters published twelve plays, twenty-one books of poetry, six novels and six biographies, including those of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Vachel Lindsay, and Walt Whitman.

Old Concord Cemetery

The cemetery is located in a field about 1/4 mile off the roadThere are no signs just a lone flag on a flagpole waving in the wind. You have to drive on a grassy road that runs in between two plowed fields. There are approximately 200 graves there. This place was made popular by local Lincoln legend and further developed by Carl Sandburg. This area was purported to be the first resting place of one Anne Rutledge, Lincoln’s first sweetheart. Following her passing and the heartache that ensued, it is believed to have been one of his motivations in moving, which led to his becoming a lawyer.

From an old Newspaper:

Ann Rutledge, sweetheart of Abraham Lincoln, died Aug. 25, 1835, and was buried in the Goodpasture grave yard (sometimes called Old Concord cemetery)… near Petersburg. Her brother, David, and other relatives were buried beside her. Here she lay until 1890 when an undertaker, ambitious to sell lots in his new cemetary, disinterred the dust that remained of her, and moved it to Oakland cemetery, near Petersburg. Later a granite stone was erected over this second grave, and now people make pilgrimages there, to what purports to be her grave. Abraham Lincoln often visited the original grave.

Directions:
Follow Rte. 97 North through Petersburg to the Lincoln Trail Road, which is the third road past R&H Home Supply outside of Petersburg. Turn right (east) on the Lincoln Trail Road and go about a half a mile to a grassy lane between two fields. Follow the grassy lane back to the cemetery - about a quarter of a mile. The cemetery has a flag pole and is fenced and maintained very well.

Oakwood Cemetery

Ann Mayes Rutledge, purported by Herndon, Sandburg and others to be the first love of Abraham Lincoln, was laid to rest in the Old Concord Burial Ground. However, the body was exhumed and then buried in the Oakland Cemetery in Petersburg, Illinois when an undertaker became financially interested in the cemetery in 1890. At this time the cheap stone marker was replaced with a granite monument that included the lyrics of Edgar Lee Masters, who is also buried here, and reads:

But of me unworthy and unknown
The vibrations of deathless music!
With malice toward none. With clarity for all.
But of me forgiveness of millions toward millions.
And the beneficent face of a nation
Shining with justice and truth
I am Ann Rutledge who sleep beneath these weeds.
Beloved of Abraham Lincoln.
Wedded to him, not through union,
But through separation.
Bloom forever, O Republic,
From the dust of my bosom!
January 7th, 1813 - August 25th, 1835

Address:
This cemetery is located in Petersburg, Illinois, on Oakland Street,
on the southwest side of town.

Hours:
Sunrise to Sunset

Starhill Forest Arboretum

Located on 48 acres in southern Menard County, IL, Starhill Forest is a private arboretum owned and operated by the Sternberg family since 1976. The land has been farmed and grazed since the mid-19th century, when Abraham Lincoln traveled on the same road during his New Salem days.

Old trees in the forested areas date to about 1850, and the oldest planted trees were started from seed in 1964 and transplanted from another location. Permanent records kept by Starhill Forest include provenance information, propagation method and year, mapped location within the arboretum via a surveyed grid system, and other data. In addition, permanent records of other taxa that have been tested and have not survived include cause of death, when known.

The primary scientific collection is a quercetum (oak) comprising the living reference collection recognized by the North American Plant Preservation Council. Additionally, approximately 150 other genera of woody plants are available for study, as well as herb and perennial landscapes, a native prairie garden, several provenance tests, and a conifer plantation.

Hours:
Guided tours are offered by appointment, but the forest is always open.

Long Nine Museum

The Col. Matthew Rogers Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the home of the Long Nine Museum. In 1837 the citizens held a banquet for Lincoln and the eight other legislators who were responsible for moving the state Capitol from Vandalia to Springfield. A visit to this site reveals the details of that celebration and many other Lincoln ties in Athens. This small community is easily accessible to visitors going to or from New Salem.

Lincoln's ties to Athens, forged in the early 1830s from his time as a legilator, continued into the next decade. In 1841, Colonel Matthew Rogers engaged the law firm of Logan and Lincoln to sue for collection when Francis failed to pay on time. Lincoln personally handled the case in Judge Samuel H. Treat's Sangamon County Circuit Court and filed the brief in his own hand on January 29, 1841. Lincoln won suite by default December 3, 1841. Original brief is in the Library of Congress. However, a copy of the brief is currently on display in the Lincoln history room of the museum.

Colonel Rogers hired Lincoln, then a lawyer, to repossess his building from its recent purchaser. A copy machine reproduction of Lincoln's handwritten brief is displayed in the Long Nine Museum's history room.

Havana

Mason County and its seat, Havana, have a longstanding history due to locations right along the Illinois River. In the 1600s, French explorers Joliet and Marquette set up camp near present-day Havana during their early explorations. The area's past is highly connected to Native American Indian communities; Havana is the home of the Rockwell Mounds, the second largest Native American burial grounds dating back to about 200 A.D. Rockwell Mounds cover about two acres and stand 14 feet high.

The name for the county was chosen with the influence of immigrants from Mason County, Kentucky. Mason County, on the Ohio River in northeast Kentucky was formed in 1789. The Kentucky County was named for George Mason [1725-1792], a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was also a member of the Virginia Convention of 1775 and the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Mason was the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights which was adopted in June 1776.

The area of Mason County was originally part of Tazewell County, which was formed in 1827. In 1827, while the area was Tazewell County Stephen Dewey surveyed the town of Havana, named for the capitol of Cuba, for Ossian M. Ross and the plat was recorded in Pekin, Illinois. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas both traveled here on the 8th Judicial Circuit, for the few years it was on the route.

Later, in the days of Chicago gangster Al Capone, Havana was referred to as "Little Reno" because of the floating casinos that were established on the Illinois River. Today, Mason County is known for wildlife and recreational sporting, including fishing and waterfowl hunting. The area is home to a number of wetlands and the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge, a 4,500-acre habitat for migrating waterfowl.

Havana Public Library

Constructed in 1902, this is the oldest continuously-used Carnegie library in the State of Illinois. Home to a wonderful assortment of old tomes and original printings, it is also home to the Mason County Historical Society. The Havana Public Library District collects genealogical and historical materials that relate to Havana and Mason County. Materials include photographs & images, maps, telephone directories, yearbooks, newspapers, advertisements, and books such as county histories, town histories, and plat books. A genealogical reference collection that also includes the collection of the Mason County Genealogical & Historical Society is housed in this wonderful facility.

Cass County Courthouse – Beardstown

Beardstown sits on the Illinois River and was first settled in 1819 which makes it one of the oldest towns in Illinois. Lincoln argued many cases in the Beardstown Courthouse, including his best known-“The Almanac Trial”. Lincoln was also installed here as a Captain of the Sangamon County Company during the Black Hawk War. During the senate race of 1858 he spoke to the people of Beardstown on the city square. Stephen A. Douglas had spoken prior to Lincoln’s speech.

On the corner of the square, this historic Cass County Courthouse was built in 1844. This is the original building in which Lincoln tried many cases including the famous “Almanac Trial” in 1858. It is still being used as a courthouse today. Lincoln successfully defended Duff Armstrong, the son of one of Lincoln’s old friends from New Salem. Armstrong was accused of murder. The key witness claimed that he saw the whole thing clearly by the bright light of the moon. Using an almanac, Lincoln proved that the moon would have set by the time of this murder, thereby clearing Armstrong of the charges. The courthouse includes an original copy of that edition of the almanac and a famous Lincoln photo taken during the trial. A small museum at the rear of the courthouse features an extensive collection of antique firearms and Indian arrowheads.

Address:
101 West 3rd St.
3rd and State Street on the
Downtown Square. 45 miles
northwest of Springfield on Route 125

Contact:
(217) 323-3271
(217) 323-3225

Hours:
April-Mid-December, Mon - Sat, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Havana Water Tower

Certainly an oddity that crops up seemingly from nowhere; this still functioning water tower is older than most homes in the state of Illinois. A testament to the ingenuity of early Illinois, this tower was constructed as the original pumping station in August of 1889. With a capacity of 50,000 gallons this tower has been a continuous part of the city's water system since its construction. In 1993, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Address:
In Havana on Pearl St. north of Rt 136 by 0.4 miles.

Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway - Havana

The Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway unites more than 100 nature-based destinations and numerous unique communities throughout the Illinois River Valley. The Byway showcases great places where you can discover and experience the nature of the region. Whether it be hunting, fishing, hiking, biking or canoeing, exploring wetlands, gardens, birding and watching wildlife, your possibilities for adventure are endless. The Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway will guide you through the Illinois River Valley to some of Illinois' most treasured, natural gems.

Havana, Illinois is situated on the east bank of the Illinois River south of Peoria. In 1908, with its harvest of 24 million pounds, the Illinois River was the most productive inland commercial fishery in the U.S. That year, the harvest accounted for approximately 10% of the total U.S., more than the entire Mississippi River.

About half of that passed through the fish markets at Havana and Liverpool. In addition, recreational fishing contributed equally to local economies. With its bricked and cobblestoned streets, beautiful river park, and friendly eateries, Havana offers a wonderful respite to visitors. "Birds-as-art" aficionados will want to stop at the Havana Public Library (the oldest continuously used Carnegie library in Illinois) to view Herman August Glick's collection of hand-carved waterfowl and shorebird figures.

Illinois River Country Nature Trail

Named for the capitol of the Isle of Cuba, Havana is the county seat of Mason County. Located on the banks of the Illinois River, Havana is primarily a rural, agricultural community. In fact, sixty-five percent of the United States' pumpkins are grown in the region making Havana a hot spot for tourists in the fall. Nature-oriented tourists can take the Spoon River Drive in fall for a display of colors unlike anything in the west or go hiking at Riverfront Park or explore the 4,500 acres of nearby Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge.

The Illinois River Road Scenic Byway preserves the natural river country along the banks of the Illinois River, allowing modern visitors to travel the same route as the early French explorers: les Voyageurs. The byway parallels the Illinois River Country Nature Trail, a chain of over one hundred linked nature sites that offer outdoor recreation in the Illinois River Valley.

For years, the Illinois River has served as the main artery for life in this part of Illinois. Several species of migrating waterfowl and other wildlife make their home in the wetland and forest habitats along its banks. Natural areas such as the Wildlife Prairie State Park and the Emiquon TNC Preserve and National Wildlife Refuge provide a varied and beautiful habitat for several of the species that have come to characterize the American frontier experience, such as buffalo, wild geese, and the American bald eagle. These nature areas also contain miles of hiking and biking trails, allowing visitors to listen to the songbirds, enjoy the brilliant autumn colors, or participate in winter sports such as cross country skiing and snowmobiling.

Tall Timbers Marina

Tall Timbers Marina is located behind Bellrose Island in a quiet backwater of the Illinois River. Their marina features 40 seasonal slips for boats up to 40 ft in length and The Blue Heron, a floating ships store. For those traveling the river, we offer overnight transient docking for boats up to 50 ft in length. Guest amenities include clean, private restrooms/showers, and on Sundays, we treat all of our guests to early morning coffee and rolls. When Lincoln started out in Illinois, he discovered the networks and arteries of the rivers that gave life to Illinois. Come and see the waterways that made Illinois great!

Emiquon Preserve

Emiquon, an hour south of Peoria on the Illinois River, is one of the largest floodplain restoration projects in the country outside the Florida Everglades. It is the premiere demonstration site for The Nature Conservancy’s work on the Illinois River and within the Upper Mississippi River system and may ultimately help guide large floodplain river restoration efforts around the world. Emiquon once was the jewel of the Illinois River, nurturing diverse and abundant communities of native plants and animals in the complex system of backwater wetlands and lakes. Hundreds of nearby archeological sites, including Native American villages and ceremonial and burial mounds are a quiet testimony to the abundant natural resources that supported more than 500 generations of civilization in this area.

For more than 12,000 years, people have been drawn to the land now called Emiquon. And the land bears witness to the passing of 500 generations of human life, from mysterious burial mounds and ancient cemeteries to acres of modern fields of corn and soybeans. Archaeologists consider Emiquon — with more than 149 documented archaeological sites — and the lands around it, one of the richest places for discovered Native American sites in the country. It is a place of mystery and legend with strong connections to the past.

Address:
Fulton County, about 40 miles southwest of Peoria
and 2 miles northwest of Havana.

Dickson Mounds

Located nearby in Lewiston this branch of the Illinois State Museum and a National Historic Site is one of the major on-site archaeological museums in the United States. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of the American Indian in an awe inspiring journey through 12,000 years of human experience in the Illinois River Valley. Visitors to the museum, in west-central Illinois, encounter innovative interpretive exhibits; exciting hands-on activities; archaeological sites; and a variety of special events in a rural setting. The landscape is thrilling and this is the land that Lincoln knew and saw during his travels on the Circuit.

Pekin-Tremont

On January 1680, Sieur de La Salle (Robert de LaSalle) and 33 fellow explorers landed their canoes on the eastern bank of the Illinois River. They built a winter refuge in what is now the southeast quarter of section of Pekin Township. Jonathan Tharp was the first non-Indian resident, building a log cabin in 1824. For some time after the arrival of white settlers, there continued to be a quite large Indian village, populated primarily by Potawatomi, along the ridge of what is today Pekin Lake.

After a county surveyor named William Hodge laid out a "town site" for Pekin in 1829, an auction of this town plat and site was held in Springfield, Illinois. The village site was awarded to Major Isaac Perkins, Gideon Hawley, William Haines and Major Nathan Cromwell, the last of whose wife named the City of Pekin after Beijing, China, which was at that time spelled "Peking" or "Pekin."

It became the County Seat in 1850 after a significant amount of controversy and a court case that involved none other than Abraham Lincoln in arguing and deciding the new County Seat.

In today’s Tazewell County, from riverboat gambling to golfing and shopping, visitors are offered several places to play while in the Peoria Area. Whether it's family entertainment or unique outdoor events you're looking for, take some time to relax in the communities that make this area truly entertaining. Located in the county seat of Pekin, visitors will want to spend the afternoon in Mineral Springs Park, which offers paddleboat rides, a water park, miniature golf and more. Plus, East Peoria, Morton, Mackinaw, Tremont and Washington all offer great outdoor fun and indoor activities such as theaters, sports complexes, unique shopping, great events and more!

Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway - Pekin

The Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway unites more than 100 nature-based destinations and numerous unique communities throughout the Illinois River Valley.
The Byway showcases great places where you can discover and experience the nature of the region. Whether it be hunting, fishing, hiking, biking or canoeing, exploring wetlands, gardens, birding and watching wildlife, your possibilities for adventure are endless.
The Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway will guide you through the Illinois River Valley to some of Illinois' most treasured, natural gems.

Research biologists have estimated that in pre-settlement days, approximately one-third of the Illinois River Valley landform was forested. Today, only about half of those associated woodlands remain. Fortunately, some of the best remaining examples of upland forest habitat can be experienced around Pekin at McNaughton Park, Fort Crevecoeur, and Tante Park.

Visit Spring Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area and explore its hiking trails, which run the gambit from bluff-top oak-hickory forests to bottomland silver maple-cottonwood. If hiking isn't on your itinerary, the lake's extensive shoreline is perfect for fishing, bird watching, or just plain relaxing. Between December and February, Bald Eagles flock to the river and in Pekin are truly celebrated with the annual Pekin Main Street's Eagle Census Festival.

Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society

If you are looking to explore a bit of the rich history of Tazewell County, Illinois and find out about Lincoln’s story here all at the same time, you have come to the right place. The Society Library is located in the Ehrlicher Research Center. The library is usually staffed with two trained volunteer genealogists. They have, in its collections: family histories, research aids, church directories, other society's publications, and copies of Bible records, diaries, letters, photos, etc. The library currently contains over 4000 volumes and is constantly growing.

Tazewell County Courthouse

When the county seat was moved from Tremont in 1850, a courthouse was erected on this site, where Lincoln practiced law while on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. It was torn down in 1915, to make room for a more modern structure, the one you see today. There are markers around the building relating this and other stories about the site

Tremont Historical Society Jones-Menard House

If you would like to drive past a home that was not only visited by Lincoln during his time on the Circuit, but was also believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad used to hide slaves on their way north to Canada, this house is a definite necessity. A trap door still remains under the carpet in one bedroom, where it was believed that salves would hide during their dangerous journey to freedom. The architecture is described in a book written by Rexford Newcomb, Architecture of the Old Northwest Territory, published in 1950: "It is a solid two-story brick edifice with pedimented ends and plastered walls. A small Doric porch covers the entrance, which is on the long side of the building. There is a fine staircase of black walnut within the ample hallway; and in the rooms on either side are fireplaces of simple Greek lines." The house is currently a private residence and is not open for tours.

Address:
412 East South St., Tremont, IL

Metamora

The heart of Metamora is its beautiful square in front of the courthouse, still used today for local celebrations as it was when Lincoln, the circuit riding lawyer, passed through town. Weekends are full of events on the square like bank concerts, dances and Civil War re-enactments.

Metamora, an easy 11 mile drive northeast of Peoria, was also hometown to Adlai E. Stevenson, Vice president to f the United States under Grover Clevelandand, and interestingly, both Stevenson and Abraham Lincoln practied law in the Metamora Courthouse...at the same time! The Metamora Courthouse and the Stevenson House are both on the National Register of Historic places.

Contact:
(309) 367-4044

Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site

The Metamora Courthouse was built in 1845 and served as the center of county government until the county seat was moved to Eureka in 1896. It is one of two surviving courthouses on the historic Eighth Judicial Circuit traveled by Abraham Lincoln. In 1978 the Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The first floor of the two-story brick structure contains a central hall flanked by two exhibit rooms, one displaying artifacts of early local history, the other with exhibits describing the 1850s court system and Lincoln's life on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. On the second floor, the former courtroom and two small chambers are furnished to represent the era during which Lincoln practiced law.

Visitors may take guided tours of the building or view the rooms and exhibits on their own. A ten-minute video history of the building, which includes images and interpretation of the second floor, is available for viewing. The building’s first floor is accessible to persons with disabilities, the second floor is not.

Metamora Courthouse annually hosts an evening “Christmas in the Courthouse” (first Friday in December). Contact the site for details.

Adlai Stevenson I Home

The Stevenson House is an austere two-story Federal style structure built before the Civil War. It is located a block south of the southwest corner of the Village Square and faces north on a corner lot. The home is approximately 35 feet wide and 30 feet deep and is set back from both front and side streets.

It is constructed of “faded pink” brick made locally. The interior of the home contains eight rooms, four on the upper level and four on the lower, with room sizes and arrangements identical on the two levels. Excavations in the late 1970’s have uncovered the foundation of a small building which sat directly behind the house. This was either a servants quarters or a separate kitchen and was most likely connected to the main house by a porch or walkway.

In 1858, Adlai E. Stevenson I began practicing law at the Metamora Courthouse. After his marriage to Letitia Green on December 20, 1866 they moved into this home. In 1868 they moved to Bloomington, IL where he opened his own law practice. In 1979, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lee Cabin

The Lee Cabin, built in 1836 and one of the oldest structures in Woodford County, now occupies a spot in the Metamora Park District’s Black Partridge Park. The cabin is open for tours and is often the site for educational experiences which introduce children to “yesteryear.”

Black Partridge Park is the crown-jewel of Metamora parks. It is a 450-acre park that features areas of sports fields, playground equipment and pavilion facilities. The extensive trail system through the park provides both an opportunity for recreation and to commune with nature. New walking and mountain biking trails have been constructed. Not only will each visitor get a chance to see more of Lincoln’s landscape, but see just how the people lived when he began his journey to greatness!

Address:
Black Partridge Park, Metamora, IL 61548

Contact:
(309) 367-4470

Hours:
The cabin is open May - October, each Sunday : 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Illinois Mennonite Heritage Center

Beginning in the 1830s Mennonites and Amish Mennonites from eastern states, and directly from central Europe were among the pioneers looking for a homeland in Illinois. They first settled in timbers in central and northern Illinois, then were among the first to the prairies. For over a century their rural congregations retained a strong work ethic and faith community apart from the world and public life. Here you can research the story of Anabaptist origins; find a family lineage in their library; visit the museum exhibits and the restored Sutter Barn; enjoy the Resser Prairie Arboretum and tidy Schertz Grandfather Haus; or just share a visit with friends and family.

The museum, built in 1984 with a Gallery in the upper level, houses a collection begun in 1978 in Congerville. Period furnishings of households, schools, and congregations include distinctive clothing, medical equipment, and toys. Current exhibits are African Missions, Hand Corn Planters and Vintage Quilts. An assembly area, the library, archives, and office occupy the lower level. Like stepping back in time directly to Lincoln’s Illinois, this is the journey of a lifetime.

Pontiac

Located in Livingston County, Illinois, Pontiac was settled in 1838 after being chosen in 1837 for settlement and named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac.

In the mid 19th century, a rail depot was opened on the line that connected the rail lines between Chicago, Springfield, and St. Louis. Abraham Lincoln travelled this way on the circuit in the early to middle 1840’s and visited his friend Jason Strevell at his home here. A rich and vibrant community, this area only grew exponentially with the placement of an important railroad stop in town.

Later located on Route 66, one of the nation’s first interstate highways, this contributed greatly to the city’s growth and Pontiac now houses more than 12,000 citizens in an area with a strong downtown community, surrounded by farmland and limited forests.

A stop not to be missed, Pontiac is also home to the Historic Route 66 Museum and a host of local activities and downtown sites that explore Pontiac’s importance in the ongoing evolution of the landscape of Illinois.

Jones House

The Jones House was built from 1857-1858 by John Dehner, a prominent Pontiac citizen who had a stake in the Chicago and Paducah Railroad and represents the type of building (perhaps specifically) that Lincoln would have encountered in the area. Dehner purchased the property from Simon Dewitt in 1857 and when the house was finished in 1858 its value was assessed at $366. Constructed in 1857-58, just one other brick home was completed in Pontiac prior to the completion of the Jones House. Later it served as the residence of another prominent early Pontiac citizen, Henry C. Jones, for who it is named,—a newspaper publisher and the founder and president of the Pontiac Light, Heat and Power Company.

After Jones’ death the home passed through members of the Jones family and it was damaged by fire in 1975. In 1976 the Livingston County Historical Society purchased the property and restored it. The Jones House was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and historic significance associated with the early prominent citizens of Pontiac on May 5, 1978.

The historical society still holds the property and it is open by appointment.

Address:
314 East Madison St., Pontiac, IL

Contact:
(815) 842-3457

Catharine V Yost Museum

This three-story wood-framed structure was built for Z.F. Yost, a Pontiac attorney. Begun in 1898, the Queen Ann-style house rests on the bank of the Vermilion River, providing a clear view of the river below and behind the house. Visitors enjoy the same scenery today, filtered through the many trees and shrubs which offer a haven for visiting songbirds and waterfowl. It is significant that the Twenty-First Century has made little impact on the structure, inside or out. Here, nearly all the Yost family possessions remain, some which date back to the 1850's reminding visitors of the rich and varied cultural interests of its inhabitants and visitors, including local attorneys such as Abraham Lincoln. The house is owned by the City of Pontiac, funded by the J. Paul Yost Trust and managed by the Livingston County Historical Society. Open by appointment.

Address:
298 West Water St., Pontiac, IL 61764

Contact:
(815) 844-5847

Strevell Home

Lincoln, on January 27, 1860, accepted an invitation to speak to the Pontiac Young Men's Literary Society and though he was in Bloomington for a trial, he took an afternoon train to Pontiac. His speech was a moderate success, and after the presentation, Lincoln went to the home of his friend Jason Strevell to spend the night. The local story says that Strevell and Lincoln stayed up late, talking about politics, slavery, and other national and local issues of the day. As the conversation turned to less important topics, Strevell, who was six foot tall, said he did not believe that Lincoln was really 4 inches taller that himself. Lincoln offered to let himself be measured and stood in a doorway in his stocking feet while Strevell made a scratch in the door frame to mark Lincoln's height. Strevell then measured, from floor to the mark on the door frame, and found Lincoln to be exactly, 6 foot, 4 inches tall.

Before the Strevell's left Pontiac, in 1879, they removed the door jam which was marked with Lincoln's height, and it was subsequently placed in the Salt Lake City museum started by Charles Strevell. Jason Strevell died in 1903.
Strevell's home in Pontiac has recently been purchased by the Livingston County Historical Society and is currently undergoing restoration with the goal of turning it into a local history and Lincoln museum. It is not currently open to the public, but will be soon.

Address:
401 West Livingston, Pontiac, IL

Bloomington-Normal

Lincoln probably spent more time in Bloomington than any other city in Central Illinois outside of Springfield. He had many close political and legal associates from this area, including David Davis whose influence on his legal career and run for the presidency were crucial to Lincoln’s success. Your tour of the David Davis Mansion will reveal just how this happened as well as what life was like for a wealthy Victorian family. The The McLean County Museum of History rounds out the Lincoln story by introducing the city and the people that Lincoln would have known. Maps for walking tours featuring historical markers and notable architecture are available at the museum.

The Bloomington-Normal area offers a wide variety of other historic, educational and entertaining attractions. From the Children’s Discovery Museum and Miller Park Zoo to the Funk Prairie Home/Gem Museum and the Prairie Aviation Museum, there’s a lot to entertain your whole family, including the kids. If you are looking for culture and theatre, there’s plenty of that too – from a Broadway show at Braden Auditorium to Shakespeare under the Stars. If you add galleries, unique retail shopping, dining and great summer festivals, Bloomington-Normal is worth a nice long stop.

David Davis Mansion

David Davis Mansion State Historic Site This beautiful 19th Century Mansion was once owned by Judge David Davis and his wife Sarah. Davis was a close personal and professional friend to Abraham Lincoln and was responsible, in part for Lincoln’s success in obtaining the Republican nomination. This spectacular Victorian mansion has been beautifully restored to its former splendor. The interpretation of the home, includes Lincoln history and a window into the social and political life of the years when Lincoln was in central Illinois.

Inside the Mansion, visitors will find a remarkable collection of mid-nineteenth-century decorative arts and technological conveniences, illustrating the life of a prosperous Victorian family. Outside, the garden features an unusual amount of original plant material, as well as the same design, pathways, and beds that Sarah Davis first gazed upon when the garden was created in 1872. It was a world where Mr. Lincoln moved comfortably, and the Davis Mansion is one of the best places to hear that part of the Lincoln story.

In 1960, the house was donated to the State of Illinois; today, it is operated as a state historic site by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

The McLean County Museum of History

McLean County History Museum Housed in a magnificent old courthouse on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum tells stories of the people of McLean County including many who would have known Lincoln. A permanent exhibit, “Encounter on the Prairie,” exemplifies the theme of the museum through four galleries: People, work, politics and farming. In addition, the museum also features changing exhibits that explore subjects like the Central Illinois and the Civil War plus periodic national traveling exhibits.

This museum traces its roots back to 1892, the year the McLean County Historical Society was founded. Housed inside the old McLean County Courthouse, the Museum features permanent and rotating exhibits that explore the history of Central Illinois. The Museum also offers educational programming, library and archive resources, and sponsors many community events. Being showcased now through August 2010 is: A Turbulent Time: Perspectives of the Vietnam War. The Museum also provides a driving audio-tour highlighting Lincoln historic sites in Bloomington-Normal as part of their inclusion in the Looking for Lincoln attraction listing. This location is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Evergreen Memorial Cemetery

The Evergreen Memorial Cemetery founded in the early 1820's, is a historic cemetery nestled in the heart of Bloomington, IL. The 87 acre cemetery begins with a simple entrance, winding avenues, towering trees and an elaborate mausoleum. It is a wonderful example of preservation, culture and tradition in Central Illinois.

Also known as the Evergreen Cemetery, this cemetery is the burial site of many notable Bloomington-Normal citizens including the Stevenson family. Adlai E. Stevenson I was Vice President to Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Stevenson II was Governor of Illinois, Ambassador to the United Nations and twice Democratic candidate for the United States Presidency. Also buried there are Adlai’s wife, Letitia Green Stevenson, who was the second National President-General of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and her sister, Julia Green Scott, the seventh National President-General of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Other historical figures buried there include David Davis, friend and mentor to Abraham Lincoln; Charles Radbourne, arguably 19th Century baseball’s greatest pitcher; and Dorothy Gage, inspiration for the main character in the Wizard of Oz and niece of author L. Frank Baum.

Address:
302 E. Miller St., Bloomington, IL 61701

Phone:
(309) 827-6950
Email: Evergreen_Cem
(at) verizon .net

Hours:
Sun - Sat : 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail

The Constitution Trail is a 24+ mile hard surfaced trail running through the Twin Cities that has been developed for walking, hiking, jogging, biking and cross country skiing, providing the community with another leisure use facility for the entire family. Trash receptacles, picnic tables, shelters, port-a-pots, and benches are available at various locations along the trail.

This multi-use trail was made possible by a joint venture with the Town of Normal and the City of Bloomington. The north-south segment of the trail follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) railroad from 1850 North through Uptown Normal to just south of Oakland Ave., in Bloomington. The east-west segment begins just south of Normal Parks and Recreation Annex and continues east to the Towanda Barnes Road in Bloomington.

The Trail was officially dedicated and named "Constitution Trail" in celebration of the 200th birthday of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1987. One special feature on this rail is Camelback Bridge. The bridge is a restored historic wooden bridge that arches over the Constitution Trail in Normal, Illinois. It is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The bridge is part of Virginia Avenue, which runs from Belt Avenue to Madison Street. The bridge's main span is a wooden kingpost pony truss. The bridge features supports that are Phoenix columns, a special type of iron column that was patented by the Phoenix Iron Company in 1862. They are extremely rare to find today.

Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln couldn’t be any more connected to a city than Lincoln, Illinois. Lincoln, known as the “namesake city” is the only town to be named for Lincoln before he became President. In fact, he christened Lincoln with the juice of a watermelon. His connection with all of Logan County is a rich one. He argued cases while riding the eighth judicial circuit at the Postville Court House, a building which is open to the public.

City tourism officials offer a self-guided walking tour that includes the site of a failed plot to steal Lincoln’s corpse from Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield. Lincoln College houses the Lincoln College Museum which contains rare Lincoln artifacts, including over 2,000 Lincoln volumes, manuscripts, art and related items of interest.

The Logan County Courthouse on the square in downtown Lincoln is surrounded by stores and restaurants much like it might have been in the days before suburban malls. The courthouse will be 100 years old in 2005 and is one of the few historic courthouses in the state this is till being used for its intended purposes. An industrious Main Street organization keeps this area viable and active. If you are looking for a slightly more contemporary outlook, Route 66 runs right through town.

Mt. Pulaski

On July 5, 1836, a man named Barton Robinson entered 480 acres of land in what is now Mt. Pulaski Township with he and others who had settled the area several years before. The residents named the new town "Pulaski," in honor of the Revolutionary War hero of the same name was killed in battle in service to George Washington on October 11, 1779.

It was a short time later, in December of 1836, that the word "Mount" was prefixed to the name, making it Mt. Pulaski and by 1846, Mt. Pulaski had outgrown Postville, the county seat in what is now Lincoln, and a movement was organized to move the county seat to Mt. Pulaski. On Feb. 23, 1847, with its more than 300 inhabitants, Mt. Pulaski became the seat of Logan County on the condition that a courthouse be erected.

The courthouse cost $3,000 and the residents of Mt. Ppulaski supplied all but $300. Mt. Pulaski continued to be the county seat until 1855 and during that period the town experienced substantial growth. The removal of the county seat from Mt. Pulaski to the new town of Lincoln, by virtue of a vote on the proposition submitted at the general election in 1853 and Mt. Pulaski continued to thrive but has not forgotten its heritage.

All through Lincoln’s life his friends played an enormous role in his success as a lawyer and politician and many of these associations were created as he traveled from one courthouse to another on the 8th judicial circuit.

You will feel right at home and learn a lot about Lincoln at the same time. The square also includes several shops and restaurants. Mt. Pulaski is a lovely old farm town that is only 10 miles from I-55 and 25 miles from Springfield. No matter how you get to Mt Pulaski you will drive through some of the richest farmland in the state. A trip to Mt Pulaski offers the opportunity to get off the main roads and see the country.

The Railsplitter Covered Wagon

For several years, the wagon had been located in the Divernon/Pawnee area, but recent developments prompted Mr. Bentley to contact the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau about the wagon's purchase. Inspired by idea of having this wonderful tribute to Abe Lincoln located in the namesake community, Executive Director Geoff Ladd set out to make it happen. Mr. Bentley wanted the wagon to be located in a community that was rich in both Abe Lincoln and Route 66 heritage, and Lincoln, Illinois is one of those towns. The Tourism Bureau's website and marketing design is centered around those two features of the county's history.

When fully assembled, the wagon weighs five tons and measures 40 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 24 feet tall. Abe Lincoln, seated in the front reading a book, weighs 350 pounds and measures 12 feet tall. The Railsplitter Covered Wagon was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Largest Covered Wagon.

Address:
The wagon is parked at the J & S Auto Centre/Penache Boutique
(1006 Woodlawn Road) on the corner of Woodlawn and Route 66 in Lincoln, IL.

Postville Courthouse

Postville Courthouse is a reproduction of Logan County’s first seat of government. Constructed in 1840, the original building until 1848 was one of the courts in which Abraham Lincoln argued cases while traveling the historic Eighth Judicial Circuit. Long after being converted to residential use, the original courthouse was purchased by Henry Ford and in 1929 moved to his Dearborn, Michigan, Greenfield Village museum. This replica was constructed in 1953 on the original site as part of the city of Lincoln’s centennial celebration.

The two-story frame Courthouse sits near the center of a landscaped city block. The first floor has a reception and orientation room and an exhibit gallery. On the second floor are rooms representing an 1840s courtroom and a county office.

Visitors can view exhibits on the legal system in mid-nineteenth century Illinois and the experiences of judicial officials and attorneys, among them Abraham Lincoln, who traveled the Eighth Judicial Circuit. A guided tour is available of the recreated second-story courtroom and county office. The first floor is accessible to persons with disabilities; the second floor and basement, including public restrooms, are not.

Lincoln College Museum

This Museum contains a remarkable collection of Lincoln related artifacts and documents including gifts of the Beckwith family. Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith, the last living descendant of Lincoln donated a number of articles belonging to Mary Lincoln – china, books and mourning clothing.

Hundreds of documents relating to Lincoln can also be found at the museum including the original Lincoln town charter drawn up by him, a legal document signed with an “x” by his father and an invitation to the 1865 inaugural ball. In addition, there is correspondence from Lincoln, nearly every member of his cabinet and military leaders during the Civil War. The museum is located on the campus of Lincoln College very near to downtown Lincoln.

Address:
300 Keokuk in McKinstry
Library
on the Lincoln College Campus

Contact:
(217) 732-3155, ext. 295

Hours:
Mon - Fri : 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sat - Sun : 1:00 pm - 4:00pm

Lincoln Walking Tour

This self-guided walking tour begins at the town christening site, located at 101 N. Chicago Street, at the corner of Broadway and Chicago Streets

In August 1853 the first sale of lots in the new town of Lincoln took place near this spot. Abraham Lincoln, in whose honor the town was named, was in attendance. When asked on the day of the land sale to officially "christen the town," Lincoln obliged. Lifting the cover off a pile of watermelons stacked on the ground by a local farmer, Lincoln picked up a melon and conducted a brief ceremony using its juice. Lincoln, Ill., is the only town named for Lincoln before he became president. A Looking for Lincoln Story Trail Wayside tells the tale of “Lincoln’s Lincoln.”

Move on to the Lincoln railroad depot at 101 N. Chicago St. and from here the tour winds its way to the site of the Lincoln House Hotel, Robert Latham home site, Logan County Courthouse at Center of Town Square, Lincoln lot site at 523 Pulaski St., Rustic Inn at 412 Pulaski St., and the Stephen A. Douglas speech site at the comer of Fourth and Logan Streets and more! Find out why these walking tour stops are so important!

Mt. Pulaski Courthouse

Mount Pulaski Courthouse was built in 1848 and served as the Logan County seat of government until 1855. Attorney Abraham Lincoln regularly argued cases in the second-floor courtroom, helping to establish his reputation as both an accomplished practitioner of the law and a gifted speaker. After the county seat was moved to Lincoln in 1855, the former courthouse was used as a city hall, school, and post office. In 1935 the state purchased the building and began efforts to “restore” it to an 1850s appearance.

The two-story brick Greek Revival building stands at the center of the Mount Pulaski public square. The first floor, divided by a hallway, contains six rooms representing county offices; the second floor houses a courtroom, jury room, and judge’s chambers. The grounds are beautifully shaded by large trees. In 1978 the Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Visitors to Mount Pulaski Courthouse are provided guided tours of the recreated county offices and courtroom. The building is not accessible to persons with disabilities. On a panel behind the building are photos of the interior and an outline history.

Clinton

In Clinton, visitors can explore a rich Lincoln heritage that has remained untouched for years. Discover the important role that Lincoln played in Clinton’s early development for nearly 20 years, beginning with the 8th Judicial Circuit in 1839, two years after Lincoln began the practice of law, until his election as President.

Clinton invites each and every guest to take a walk into history and visit Clinton. Visitors are encouraged to tour the restored mid-Victorian mansion which was the home of the Honorable C. H. Moore, Abraham Lincoln's law partner in Clinton, and stick around for the Apple and Pork Festival in September where entertainment and museum tours are among the festival activities. An estimated 80,000 visitors attend the festival each year.

Mr. Lincoln’s Square

Visit their historic Abraham Lincoln sculpture by A. L. Van Den Bergen that stands in Mr. Lincoln's Square, downtown Clinton, IL, on the site where Lincoln allegedly made the famous quote, "You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." These words are inscribed on the front of the pedestal. Another quote, inscribed on the rear of the pedestal, reads "That it may not be forgotten that here for nineteen years as a lawyer and friend, he was counselor and teacher of our forefathers, this statue is erected by the citizens of DeWitt County to the memory of Abraham Lincoln." The statue was dedicated on November 11, 1931.

From the square, visitors are encouraged to get out and stop in a few of the local shops, especially Illinois Harvest, where the locals can tell you about the history of this particular square and the historic buildings still standing on it…witnesses to Lincoln.

C.H. Moore Homestead

Visitors to this site can discover a fully restored building and grounds that depict the elegant Victorian Era and are encouraged to feel free to browse this website and find out more about how a trip to Clinton, Illinois will make lasting memories as they will find points of interest to all age groups.

Guests can escape the pressure of the present and discover the way it used to be in this exquisite mansion that justifiably rests comfortably on the National Register of Historic places. Discover the connection between C.H. Moore and Abraham Lincoln, who shared legal space and a partnership in Clinton. Step back 100 years and for a little while become a part of the extravagant Victorian Era. Discover the C.H.Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum.

Vespasian Warner Public Library

Clinton's first library was housed in Rundle Hall, over Rundle's Meat Market, in 1901. Today, the new Vespasian Warner Public Library District, established in 1989, encompasses the townships of Barnett, Harp, Texas, Creek, Clintonia and DeWitt. An addition to the building was completed in 1992. After almost a century of service, the library continues to expand its facilities to meet the growing needs of the community. Its current collection includes 52,000+ books, 2,000 videos, 230 newspaper and magazine subscriptions, CDs and more. Several meeting rooms are available to local groups; the library also offers year 'round children's and adult's programs; Internet access and many other services.

Outside, visitors will discover Lincoln’s love of books as told on the Looking for Lincoln Story Trail wayside exhibit and not only is the DeWitt County Genealogical and Historical Society, housed within along with their documents…some dating back to the mid 1800’s), but as you enter the building, taking the stairs immediately down, visitors will see a large wall covered by a set of permanent rotating exhibit cases called “Lincoln in DeWitt County.” The exhibit is maintained by the Lincoln Heritage Committee of DeWitt County.

Moore-Warner Farm Management

In 1846, C. H. Moore had a strong desire to invest in farmland and purchased his first 120-acre farm. By 1851, he was considered a very large landholder, owning farmland in five states. As the resident lawyer of DeWitt County, Illinois, C. H. Moore was well respected and had numerous friends, including Abraham Lincoln. C. H. Moore and Vespasian Warner formed a law partnership named Moore & Warner. Together, they practiced law and managed farmland out of the very office building in which Moore & Warner Farm Management is located today. In 1901, C. H. Moore passed away, and the C. H. Moore Trust Estate was established. Vespasian Warner was the first Trustee of this vast estate comprised of more than 35,000 acres of farmland.

Following the termination of the Trust in 2000, John Warner, IV, decided to carry on the business of professional farm management, purchased and remodeled this historic office building, establishing Moore & Warner Farm Management. Locals attest to the fact that Lincoln practiced law out of this office while on the Circuit and there is a very knowledgeable staff on hand to answer any questions from curious visitors and to show the building and explain its history.

Woodlawn Cemetery

Located just up the road from the C.H. Moore Homestead, this local cemetery holds several treasures. One, the wrought-iron fence at the entry way holds one of the Looking for Lincoln Story Trail Waysides that talks about Clinton’s contribution to the Civil War. Two, there is a nicely redone section of the cemetery that contains the soldiers of the Civil War, including a large monument. Three, there is a locally placed wayside that has the outline and information for all of the buried soldiers.

Also, every year, visitors are treated to a beautiful afternoon of a "A Walk Through Woodlawn" Cemetery Walk, and visitors are offered the opportunity to take advantage of the opportunity. Organizers use live, costumed interpreters to bring to life the tales of several prominent early pioneers of Clinton who are now permanent residents at Woodlawn. The walk is not only an opportunity to learn some local history, but the proceeds also are used to aid in the preservation of the cemetery. From pioneers to Civil War Soldiers to folks who just remember that young lawyer, Mr. Lincoln, this cemetery has that nice touch that connects you directly to the past.

Address:
Clinton, IL

Hours:
Sunrise to Sunset

Weldon Springs

Lying just southeast of Clinton in DeWitt County, Weldon Springs State Park is a 550-acre park for all seasons. Weldon Springs' recreational agenda is among the most comprehensive in the state park system, offering recreational opportunities year-round. During the milder seasons, you are invited to fish, boat, picnic, camp, hike, and view wildlife. Or, you might want to pitch horseshoes at the park's tournament-quality horseshoe pits. When the snow flies, hardier outdoors persons not only continue many of the warmer weather pursuits, but add sledding and tobogganing on a one-eighth mile hill, ice fishing and cross-country skiing to the itinerary of their visit. Experience DeWitt County as Lincoln knew it.

Purchased by Judge Lawrence Weldon before the Civil War, this site was opened to area residents and youth clubs for picnics for many years. In 1900, Judge Weldon leased the property to the Weldon Springs Company. 150 shares were sold to the public at $50 per share to raise the capital needed to establish an annual assembly known as a Chautauqua. Over the next twenty years, improvements included a dam, bridges, trails, a boathouse, a bathhouse, a diving tower, a pavilion, and an auditorium. For ten days each summer from 1901 to 1921, area residents gathered at the site to hear some of the best public speakers and entertainers of the day. Representing every field of interest, programs were presented for the entertainment, education, and "moral elevation" of the participants. At a price of $1.50 for a season ticket, as many as 325 families camped for the entire term, enjoying the opportunity to socialize with their neighbors. A contemporary account described the event as "forty acres of water, tents, and teams."

Weldon Springs

Political speakers engaged in debates discussing a variety of issues from which party had caused the Panic of 1893 to whether the country should hold on to the Phillippines. Those who attended heard the southern viewpoint on the Civil War and Reconstruction and the story of Count Alexander Lochwitzky's imprisonment and exile by the Russian czar. Former President Taft, House Speaker Champ Clark, Vice Presidents James S. Sherman and Adlai Stevenson I, senators, governors, and judges all made appearances. Most popular were William Jennings Bryan and evangelist Sam Jones. Reverend Billy Sunday was also a regular guest. Female speakers included Helen Keller and Carrie Nation, both making return visits.

The rise of the automobile and the motion picture spelled the demise of the annual Chautauqua Assembly, but the site continued to enrich the lives of area residents. The Judge's son, Lincoln Weldon, bequeathed the original 40 acres along with an additional 10 acres to the City of Clinton to be known as Weldon Springs Park in 1936. The state of Illinois accepted ownership in 1948.

From stoplight south of Clinton on Rt. 51, follow signs 3 miles to the east OR Go east of Clinton on Rt. 10 to sign, turn south & follow signs 2 miles to park.

Union School Interpretive Center

Built in 1865, Union School served the rural residents of Logan County, Illinois for more than 80 years. The historic building was moved to the prairie at Weldon Springs, restored, furnished, and equipped for use as both a visitor center and a temporary classroom for area school groups that wish to relocate for a day. A year-round interpreter is available for talks, programs and activities to enhance the visitor experience. More than a museum, Union School is a "hands-on" learning center with a "please touch" philosophy. Both science and local history are emphasized.

A collection of taxidermist-mounted mammals which make their homes in the park encourages visitors to pet a squirrel's tail, feel a badger's claws, or examine a beaver's teeth. Discovery boxes are filled with natural treasures grouped around a central theme to stimulate students' curiosity about the natural world. Insect cards demonstrate many of the basic concepts of ecology with magnified specimens. Additional natural history exhibits examine the park's variety of habitats, the eastern bluebird nestbox trail, forestry, animal builders, and raptors.

Historic exhibits follow the park's development from railroad holding in the 1850's, through the Chautauqua Assemblies at the turn of the century, to its establishment as a state park. Old photos and other historic memorabilia share life in a one-room school, the Schoolhouse project, and a local timeline. The Texas Township Community Building was moved to the prairie in 1995. The Town Hall houses collections of bird nests, rocks and minerals, mussels, animal tracks, grasses, galls, insects and butterflies.

Address:
4734 Weldon Springs Rd., Clinton, IL 61727

Contact:
(217) 935-0373

Hours:
Please Call

Monticello

Piatt County, named for James A. Piatt, Sr., was established January 27, 1841, from territory taken from Macon County. The county seat is currently Monticello.

Monticello's first resident was George Haworth who came to the area in 1822 to serve as a U.S. liaison agent to local Native American tribes. Haworth did not remain, but in , residents decided to form a new town. 1837 Abraham Marquiss, William Barnes, James McReynolds, and James A. Piatt Jr. formed a joint stock company and purchased land from James A. Piatt. On July 1, 1837, James A. Piatt filed a plat of Monticello in the old Courthouse in Decatur. On July 4, 1837, a barbecue was held and lots were sold in the village named for the Virginia home of Thomas Jefferson.

The first house in the new town was built by a Mr. Cass who used the building as his home and a grocery store. The second house was a log cabin built by John Tenbrooke. In 1839, Nicholas DeVore built the "Old Fort" which was later used as a hotel. Monticello continued to grow as the population increased over the next decade.

Piatt County and Monticello thrived gloriously in the years that followed, with the advent of the railroads and then the income supplied by the Pepsin Company, Monticello soon rose to prominence.

Whether sitting and having lunch on the historic town square or walking leisurely down historic North State Street or historic South Charter Street, visitors will see that Monticello and Piatt County the flavor of experience that they seek!

Piatt County Museum

The museum was started as “The Piatt County Pioneers” on March 11, 1965. The name was changed in December of 1965 to “The Illinois Pioneer Heritage Center.” Through the years, many dedicated people worked to preserve the heritage and artifacts unique to Piatt County. The name was changed to “The Piatt County Museum” in January of 1996. They are currently erecting the old University of Illinois Beef Barn and in order to create a new facility for their museum near the Train Museum.

The Piatt County Museum in Monticello features artifacts from the last 100 years, dioramas and Standard Oil from the early days of the area. If you are eager to learn more about Lincoln’s Piatt County, there is no better place to start!

Address:
Currently being built!

Contact:
(217) 762-4731

Hours:
Call for Hours.

Historic State Street

James Piatt Sr. came to this Central Illinois territory in 1829 and called the area Piatt's Point. In 1837, a plat was registered by Piatt and it was named Monticello by Major James McReynolds, an admirer of Thomas Jefferson. Industry progressed with the incorporation of the Monticello Railroad Company in 1861 and by the 1880's, Monticello was a major business hub in Central Illinois.

Monticello joined the patent medicine boom in 1893 with the founding of the Pepsin Syrup Company by Harry Crea and Dr. W. B. Caldwell. They were later joined in partnership by John Hott and A. F. Moore. Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin, an early laxative, was one of the notable patent medicines produced in Monticello. Later brand recognition products among the Caldwell product line was Fletcher's Castoria and Campho-Phenique. In 1925, Moore and Hott sold their Pepsin interest to Sterling Products Company for $5,000,000.

Historic State Street

The continual success of the company helped spawn the construction of mansions on North State Street that became known as "Millionaire's Row”. Experience this evolution and growth of wealth on this one of a kind walking tour through Historic State Street in Monticello Illinois!

Monticello Railway Museum

Everyone knows that Lincoln expanded the railroads and used them heavily during the Civil War as President, but before that he road the rails, as they arrived throughout the Eighth Judicial Circuit and even argued cases for and against the railroads in Illinois. Now visitors can experience a bit of the railroad magic in Central Illinois.

Visitors can ride vintage trains over former Illinois Central track. The Monticello Railway Museum is located on the north side of Monticello off Interstate 72 at exit 166, trains run weekends and holidays May through October. Visit the display cars and gift shop. The ride is 7 miles round trip and you may board at the museum site or the historic downtown Wabash Depot. The depot was built in 1899 and houses the Chamber of Commerce.

Hours:
They are open all weekends over the summer, but have regular events
scheduled. Check their website for regular track schedules or call for more
information.

Allerton Park and Retreat Center

The 1500-acre woodland, garden, meadow, and prairie landscape that surrounds the Allerton Mansion was once the private estate of Robert Henry Allerton. Named “The Farms,” the estate was the center of the 12,000-acre Illinois agricultural enterprise acquired during the latter half of the 1800s by Robert’s father Samuel. The family wealth however, extended far beyond Illinois. Samuel Allerton owned more than 80,000 acres of farmland, was a founding principal of the First National Bank of Chicago, and held prominent leadership positions in five major stockyards, including the Union Stockyards of Chicago.

Today, Allerton is operated under the guidance of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Allerton Retreat Center (Mansion) is used as a retreat and conference facility by University, state, and corporate clients. The natural areas of the Park are used by a variety of University departments, as well as other universities and conservation agencies, for environmental study and for participatory student interactions. Both the Retreat Center and Park areas are used for wonderfully unique weddings and special events.

Allerton Park and Retreat Center

What was once the private oasis for a single family is now a vibrant teaching, recreational, and celebratory sanctuary for nearly 100,000 guests every year. Allerton Park and Retreat Center is a unique cultural and environmental asset of the University of Illinois and serves as a bridge between the public and the educational and research resources of the University’s faculty.

Bryant Cottage

Bryant Cottage was built in 1856 by Francis E. Bryant a friend and political ally of Senator Stephen A. Douglas. According to Bryant family tradition, on the evening of July 29, 1858, Douglas and Abraham Lincoln conferred in the parlor of this house to plan the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates. The picturesque one-story, four-room wood frame cottage has been “restored” and is interpreted as an example of a middle-class life in mid-nineteenth-century Illinois. The furniture on display is of the Renaissance Revival style, appropriate for a small-town family of the mid-nineteenth century.

The cottage is accessible to persons with disabilities. The site hosts portions of a variety of locally sponsored events throughout the year.

Urbana-Champaign

A stroll down Main Street offers residents and visitors alike evidence of the Mahomet Chamber’s motto “Preserving the Past/Building the Future.” Located within this historic streetscape, you will find interesting shops such as: Main Street Mercantile, Wind Water and Light Gallery, Prairie Boatworks Gallery, The Victorian House, City Chicks, and Country Rose Floral and Gifts.

Lincoln visited Champaign County regularly throughout his career on the Circuit from 1841 to his last visit in October of 1859, only eight months before his nomination for President. In the 1850’s he attended every court session of the Circuit Court with the with the exception of the fall of 1858, at the peak of the senatorial campaign against Stephen A. Douglas. His clientele included some of the wealthy and influential citizens of the community, as was the case elsewhere. He was the attorney for the Illinois Central Railroad, the state’s largest corporation, in Champaign County as well as other counties.

The Early American Museum - Mahomet

The Early American Museum in Mahomet has an extensive collection interpreting 19th and early 20th century life in East-Central Illinois. Two floors of exhibits present architecture, trades and occupations, decorative arts, and childhood and domestic life of the time. The Discovery Room offers hands-on opportunities for children to interact and learn about the residents of the Grand Prairie. Educational programs are offered for all ages throughout the year. The basement features a full exhibit on Lincoln, including his years as a lawyer on the Eighth Judicial Circuit.

Champaign County Historical Archives

Established in 1956, The Champaign County Historical Archives is a department of The Urbana Free Library that specializes in genealogy and local history. In 1987 it was designated the official repository for non-current Champaign County records. Although it focuses on Champaign County, the Archives holds extensive collections of works dealing with the rest of Illinois and most of the states east of the Mississippi. Whether you have Champaign County ancestors (or no connections to the county at all) or are interested in local history, there is a wealth of potentially useful materials available for your research.

Champaign County History Museum

The mission of this outstanding museum is to discover, collect, preserve, exhibit, study, and interpret objects relating to the history of the County, and to provide educational programs about the County's heritage and the Museum's collections. Housed in the historic Cattle Bank, which dates from 1858. With assistance from the Preservation and Conservation Association (PACA) of Champaign County and the Illinois State Department of Conservation, the building was restored by the owners for use as retail and office space. It is now the Champaign County Historical Museum. This building is believed to be the oldest commercial building in Champaign and has over 10,000 artifacts associated with people, businesses and organizations important in Champaign County history and will have both permanent and rotating exhibits.

Champaign County Courthouse

The first courthouse, a log cabin, was so crude it saw only two sessions of court in 1836 and 1837. It was replaced in 1840 with a brick and wood frame building that served for the next 9 years. It was in this building that Abraham Lincoln appeared as a lawyer while riding the circuit. The next courthouse, built in 1849, was a two-story building of brick and wood with a bell tower in the center of its roof.

Abraham Lincoln again served in this building and was in Urbana when he learned of the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, gave a speech in opposition to the spread of slavery in the territories, and learned of receiving votes at the Republican Convention in Boston. In 1901, a new courthouse, designed by noted architect Joseph Royer, was dedicated. Done in the Romanesque style with red sandstone and mottled brick exterior, this beautiful building features as architectural assets, a clock and a bell tower that rose some 135 feet and housed the Seth Thomas clock. The tower has been remodeled in order to restore it to its former splendor and an exciting new Lincoln the Lawyer exhibit has opened in the same wing, entitled Abraham Lincoln: A Large Presence in a Small Town.

This is a functioning courthouse, so please be advised that they have metal detectors and discourage both cellular phones and cameras.

Krannert Art Museum

Krannert Art Museum offers residents of Central Illinois a rich and comprehensive collection of fine art spanning 6,000 years of world culture. The museum's collections of more than 8,000 works of art represent the cultures of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. In addition to its permanent collection, the Museum organizes outstanding temporary exhibitions throughout the year and offers a full schedule of docent-guided tours, lectures, performances, outreach programs, and activities for families. The Giertz Education Center at Krannert Art Museum serves educators with an extensive free-loan collection of art resources. The Museum's cafes open early morning through mid-afternoon and offers an assortment of coffees, pastries, and light meals. Krannert Art Museum is located on the University of Illinois campus, with metered parking during the week and free parking on weekends. Call for current program information and summer hours.

Danville

Danville is the first stop from the East coming from I-74 and for those looking for a unique location, try
picturesque Danville/Vermilion County, ideally located on I-74 in the heart of Central Illinois. For the
history buff-- had you been walking down Vermilion Street in Danville in the early 1850's you very possibly
might have run into a tall, somewhat unkempt, young attorney crossing from his office to the courthouse to
argue a case in the 8th Judicial Circuit.

Abraham Lincoln practiced law in Danville from 1841 until 1859. It was here he made his final address in
Illinois from his train bound for Washington on February 11, 1861. Visitors can visit the Vermilion County
Museum, designed to replicate the courthouse that was here when Lincoln practiced law, and the adjacent
Fithian Home, a Lincoln site on the National Register of Historic Places.

Another great museum is the Vermilion County War Museum, housed in a former Carnegie Library building, one
of the most impressive in Illinois. For the nature buff...the adventurous can canoe down the Middle Fork
River, the only federally designated scenic river in Illinois, or enjoy our over 15,000 acres of public
parkland.

Vermilion County Museum

Completed in 2002, this reproduction of an early Danville court house tells of Danville’s rich Lincoln history. He tried over 200 cases in the courts here and had many friends in this community. As visitors enter the museum, the first thing they see is an imposing statue that represents the Lincoln that his friends from Danville would have recognized. The museum also houses a recreation of the law office that Danville attorney Ward Hill Lamon shared with Lincoln, and includes a desk that Lincoln actually used. There are many other fine exhibits in this museum that reflect the history of Vermilion County.

The main building is located directly behind the Fithian Home, which is a Lincoln Site on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Fithian House

Dr. William Fithian was Danville’s most prominent physician during most of the 19th Century. The house that he built is still standing and is part of the Vermillion County Museum Complex. Lincoln was known to have spent time in this home as Dr. Fithian was not only a doctor, but was also very active in Vermilion County politics. In 1858, during the senate campaign, Lincoln made an impromptu speech from the second floor balcony outside the bedroom that he frequently occupied. The house contains a bed that Lincoln slept in that night. The home is located next to the newly completed Vermilion County Museum.

The home was built by pioneer physician William Fithian, who in his time, served as prairie legislator, horseback doctor, Civil War surgeon and personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. Dr. Fithian and Lincoln became friends when they both served in the Illinois legislature in 1834 and the association continued until Lincoln's death. Lincoln first came to Danville to represent Fithian in a court case.

The Fithian House

Fithian hosted Lincoln many times when he visited Danville and supported him both financially and with speeches when Lincoln ran for office. In September of 1858, Lincoln gave a speech from the south balcony of the Museum when he was campaigning for the U. S. Senate. The balcony, the window Lincoln stepped out and the bedroom Lincoln used on his visits remain as they were that autumn day in 1858. The bed in the Lincoln room is the bed the tall statesman slept in when he visited Fithian. There is also an original newspaper announcing Lincoln's candidacy, a photograph of him taken in Danville and a hand-written note from Lincoln to Secretary Risley written just a few months before his assassination.

Illiana Genealogical and Historical Society

Located in the heart of the Renaissance District of Danville, Illinois, they have all probate records from the Vermilion County, IL courthouse either on microfilm or hard copy, hundreds to thousands of family histories and files, copies of the naturalizations from the Vermilion County, IL, courthouse, and all cemetery readings for Vermilion County.

If you are a serious researcher, or even a casual one, stop on in and find out what Vermilion County has to offer.

The Lamon House

Probably the oldest frame residence in Danville, this house has connections with several important persons of Danville History. It was built in 1850 by Joseph and Melissa Beckwith Lamon. Melissa was the daughter of the man after whom Danville was named -- Dan Beckwith. Her husband, Joseph Lamon, was the cousin of Ward Hill Lamon, a Danville attorney who was for four years the law partner of Abraham Lincoln, and who later went to Washington, D.C. with Lincoln to act as the friend and bodyguard during the Civil War (1861-1865).

This home remained in the Lamon family for about 90 years. During that time, rooms were added to the house and improvements were made. Originally, the house is believed to have had only four rooms with the kitchen standing as a separate structure. Later that was added to the house. Notice how the rooms are so much larger than they appear from the outside of the house. You will also notice that the woodwork is different in each room.

The Lamon House

The Lamon House is furnished with pieces primarily of the 1850 - 1875 era. The fireplace grate is original to the house and wicker chair next to the fireplace belonged to the family. None of the other furnishings are original to the house. The DAR furnished the north side of the house -- that is, the living room, dining room and kitchen. The bedroom was furnished by the Newell Township Historical Society, and the library was taken care of with donations from some of the Danville High School faculty.

Many older Danville residents remember the 1930's when this home stood on North Street. It was known as "The Bird House" because of its Victorian charm and the fact that its owner was Laura Bird, the surviving daughter of Joseph and Melissa Lamon who had built the house in another era, nearly a century earlier. The Lamon House later served as a gift shop and then as two attorney's offices. It was donated to the Vermilion County Museum Society by those attorneys and in 1982 was moved to its present site.

Vermilion County River Country

A catch-all name that incorporates camping, fishing, hiking, and a host of other activities the entire family can enjoy, this area covers more than 15,000 acres of park land. Among the areas of interest are: Kennekuk County Park, Kickapoo State Park, and others.

Few areas in Illinois are as blessed as this when it comes to clean and beautiful rivers all running swiftly toward the Wabash River, which lies just across our eastern border. Not only do they have these wonderful rivers, but also host the only designated National Scenic River in Illinois, the Middle Fork. If you are looking to capture some of Lincoln’s Illinois landscape, then this is the place to be.

Paris

In 1816, the land that is now Edgar County was offered for sale by the federal government after it had been acquired through a treaty with the Kickapoo Indians. The following year, settlers began arriving, many via an Indian trail that became the Chicago-Vincennes Road, also known as Illinois Route 1.

In 1822, Samuel Vance, a Virginian who moved to Illinois after a short stay in Kentucky, purchased 26 acres in the center of what was to become Edgar County. Two years later, Vance and his wife donated the 26 acres to the state for the purpose of establishing a new county seat.

Edgar County is named for John Edgar who was an Irish-born officer in the Royal Navy who resigned his commission rather than fight against the Americans in the Revolutionary War. It is most likely that Paris got its name from the word "Paris" carved on the side of an old jack-oak tree in the center of today’s downtown. It was incorporated as a village in 1849.

Abraham Lincoln handled legal work for and was often entertained by one of Paris’ favorite sons, Milton K. Alexander, while on the 8th Judicial Circuit. Alexander’s home is currently center of the Bicentennial Arts Center in Paris!

During the 1980’s, the city had tremendous growth with the relocation of various industries. Today, the city is experiencing a new era of development. Some 9,000 residents call Paris home.

Edgar County Courthouse

In June of 1823, the Board of Commissioners established the boundaries for the county square, measuring 310 3/4 feet each side, with a total area of two acres. The roads surrounding the square were also laid out during this meeting. The building on the register is the third building to be built upon the square.

The building is essentially an octagon. Each of the four sides faces north, south, east and west. An unusual feature in the construction of the building is on every side is stated "Erected in 1897." The building has four doorways each facing northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. Above each of the four entry doors is the year "1897."

A Statue of Justice faces the west on top of a "wedding cake" tower. Clocks were added to the tower after construction was completed on the building.

The Courthouse has a number of markers placed around it denoting the county history and several incredibly beautiful oil paintings contained within the main area. It is on the National Registry of Historic Buildings.

Paris Art Center (Alexander Home)

The Art Center offers a full range of art activities and programs to the residents and artists of the region including exhibitions, classes and workshops, tours to other art centers and events, community outreach programs, and, scholarships for talented youth. The Art Center maintains a permanent collection, the nucleus of which are the paintings by Alice Baber, a native of Edgar County, who achieved international recognition in 1960's and 70's. Other collection pieces include paintings, drawings, prints, and three-dimensional pieces by artists with national and regional reputations.

The building was built in 1842 as the home of Milton K. Alexander and plays a significant role in the local history of Paris. In 1856, Mr. Alexander died and his heirs purchased the house. Milton K. Alexander was the town's first licensed merchant and twenty-five years he also served as the town's Postmaster. Abraham Lincoln handled legal work for Alexander, and was entertained at the Alexander's home. In this respect, the house, located one block from the courthouse, is representative of the town's role as the seat of the Edgar Circuit Court in the years when Abraham Lincoln practiced law as a circuit riding attorney.

Hours:
Tues - Fri : 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed on holidays.
Group tours of the exhibits and facilities are available by calling the Art Center

Admission:
FREE

Edgar County Historical Complex

The historic Arthur House, built by Henry Clay Moss, in the late 1800’s, is included in the complex that is used by the Edgar County Historical Society right next door to their genealogical library right next door. Also housing a set of displays covering the early history of Paris and Edgar County, the complex boasts a wide array of genealogical research materials and displays covering Mr. Lincoln. The Arthur House is on the National Historic Register.

Staffed by knowledgeable personnel, this complex is a gem not to be passed up.

Address:
408 N. Main St., Paris, IL
Parking is available behind the
Annex or on Roberts Street

Contact:
(217) 463-4209

Hours:
Wed - Fri : 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed
during January and holidays.
Appointments for Sunday tours may also be made
by phoning (217) 463-5305 in advance.

Shelbyville

Shelbyville was founded in 1827 and named in honor of Isaac Shelby, hero of the Revolutionary War and Governor of Kentucky. The history of Shelbyville begins with Barnett Bone, a Tennessean who, in 1835, built a log cabin along the Kaskaskia River. As a side note, his cabin eventually became the county's first courthouse. Shelby County was formed in 1827 out of Fayette County and was also named as such as an additional honorific for Isaac Shelby.

Shelby County became a part of the Eight Judicial Circuit Court system in 1841. City natives can be proud that one of the circuit travelers was Abraham Lincoln, who went from town to town for twenty-five years, including four years to Shelbyville. He never complained about the squalid taverns or impassable roads. Rather, it seemed that he thrived in harsh conditions, and his stamina would later support him during the Civil War. Every spring and fall he would start the circuit in a westerly direction. He would leave Paris, some fifty-five miles from Shelbyville. The trip would take him two or three days. During the nights he would stay at way-side inns or homes of settlers

The State of Illinois is renowned as the Land of Lincoln. In Shelby County, finding Lincoln is no problem. Springfield may boast of popular Lincoln sites, but visitors can begin their quest in Shelby County for a little color.
While a circuit-riding attorney, Lincoln occasionally visited Shelby County. His political beginnings as a Republican also took root here. Visit the Shelby County Courthouse to see the Robert Root painting of the Lincoln-Thornton debate. While less famous than the later Lincoln-Douglas debates, the Lincoln-Thornton meeting is significant because it marked one of Lincoln’s first public speaking engagements as a Republican. It was also the first time he argues the anti-slavery cause as divisive to the country.

Today, Shelby County and Shelbyville are a rich and vibrant mix of small town appeal, recreation and leisure with an historic atmosphere.

Shelby County Courthouse

In 1871, the Committee on Public Buildings reported to the County Board that the Courthouse (located on the Public Square) was too small and unsafe. In November 1872, voters approved the proposed new court- house. The lot, just north of the Public Square, was purchased for $800.00. The building was built in 1879 (at a cost of $72,987) and was dedicated on April 13, 1883.

The lawyers often stayed at the Tallman Hotel just east of the court house. In the first floor court room, in 1856, Lincoln and Judge Anthony Thornton held their famous debate on political issues of the day. A painting of that debate, made by local artist, Robert Root, hangs in the present court house on the north side of the square.

Courtrooms are open for viewing generally when court is not in session (free admission).

Lincoln Public Square Eternal Flame

The Lincoln Public Square & Eternal Flame houses the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, designed by local artist, Robert Marshall Root. The square was erected in 1907 in memory of the fighting men in the county. The square has a plaque in honor of Abraham Lincoln who practiced law in Shelbyville and there is also a plaque for Horace Tallman, the inventor of the first mechanical pick-up hay baler. Flags are placed around the square during Memorial Day to Labor Day.

On July 3, 2002, an eternal flame was dedicated to the men and women who have served in past wars. The black granite base of the flame contains etchings, such as General Douglas MacArthur wading ashore in the Philippines in 1945, Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima in World War II and Shelbyville resident August West.

Address:
Center of Shelbyville, directly across from Courthouse

Shelby County Historical and Genealogical Society

Shelby County Historical and Genealogical Society is a library for researchers. There are historic artifacts on display. Built in 1892, the building was formerly the Shelby County Jail and sheriff’s residence. It houses a treasure trove of historical images and artifacts, including a brilliant analysis of the painting of the Lincoln-Thornton Debate, with a complete listing of almost everyone pictured in this image. In addition, they have several exhibits directly pertaining to Lincoln in Shelby County and Shelbyville on display.

The Society maintains a membership of over 300 including nationwide individual memberships exchange or paid membership with national libraries (Latter Day Saints, American Genealogical Lending Library, Library of Congress and National DAR Library), State (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kentucky) libraries, and counties surrounding Shelby County that provide the same type of information as we do and Shelby County Public and School Libraries.

Thompson Mill Covered Bridge

If you are looking for a walk through Lincoln’s Illinois, this is a stop not to miss. Covered bridges of this type were constructed in the United States starting in the 1820s and were erected continuing into the mid 1800s. Though this bridge was built following Lincoln’s assassination, it does offer a taste of the types of covered bridges that Lincoln would have encountered in his travels.

Built in 1868 to span the Kaskaskia River, this bridge is one of only five covered bridges remaining in Illinois. The road on which this bridge is located was once an important route between Springfield and Effingham. The bridge was completed in the autumn of 1868 at a cost of $2,500 and named for the owner of the first mill near here. It is the narrowest of all the covered bridges in Illinois, with a width of only 10 feet7inches. It is 11 feet 4 inches high and the siding stops before reaching the top cord to allow light to come in under the roof. The Howe Truss system, which the bridge uses, consists of panels in which two members cross one diagonal and was patented in 1840 by Massachusetts millwright William Howe. The truss of this bridge is 105 feet long. The roof of the bridge protected the truss from weather.

Address:
It is 3.2 miles northeast of Cowden.
Turn east off of IL 128. Go 2.5 miles,
and signs point the way to the bridge.

Lake Shelbyville

Want to take a break from the travel and just relax or do you want to explore more of the landscape of Illinois? Though not from Lincoln’s time, Lake Shelbyville affords both! Whether enjoying the lake itself or exploring the surrounding flora and fauna of Lincoln’s Illinois, this is a stop to be taken and enjoyed.

Lake Shelbyville is a reservoir located in Shelby County, Illinois and Moultrie County, Illinois created by damming the Kaskaskia River at Shelbyville, Illinois. The area that surrounds the lake is the Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area. The lake is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the wildlife is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Bordering the lake are two state parks: Wolf Creek State Park and Eagle Creek State Park. Lake Shelbyville's coastline is heavily wooded and sandy, so there are some public beaches on the lake. Aside from the main channel of the lake are many coves, perfect for fishing. The lake is deeper than other major lakes in Illinois, so it is extremely popular with boaters during the summer.

There are full-service marinas, resorts, and campgrounds on the lake. There are currently 3 full service marinas in business which are Findlay, Lithia Springs, and Sullivan Marina. Findlay Marina is located north of Marker 5 just past the bridge on the west side of the lake. Sullivan Marina and Campground is located right outside of the town of Sullivan. Lithia Springs Marina is located on the the southern end of the lake. All three offer slip rentals, boat service and sales, and a store to purchase supplies.

Sullivan

Named for General John Sullivan, who was a member of the Continental Army and the First Continental Congress, Sullivan, first called Asa's Point, was named in part because Sullivan was a Northerner, while Moultrie County was named for General William Moultrie, who was a Southerner.

There are suggestions, however, that the town of Sullivan was named for Sullivan’s Island in Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. General William Moultrie defended Sullivan's Island, South Carolina from British attack in 1776 and nearby Jasper County was named for Sgt. William Jasper, another hero of the defense of Sullivan's Island. So history is always a bit more complex that the first glance!

Lincoln’s last visit was just before a riot broke out in response to the Lincoln-Douglas Debates that took place in Charleston!

Today, Moultrie County and Sullivan, its county seat, are found in a quiet and quaint setting that comes alive with a small town atmosphere. History is alive here and walking down the streets you can almost hear the sounds of Lincoln’s footfalls on the pavement. Pay no attention to Judge Davis’ complaint…Sullivan is a happening place.

Old Order Amish Settlement

No visit to Moultrie County is complete without a visit to the Old Order Amish settlement located in Moultrie and adjoining Douglas County. Although primarily farmers, many of the Amish use their multiple talents in the more than 225 Amish cottage businesses which dot the landscape.

Arriving to the area in 1865, the Amish lifestyle and tradecrafts are a perfect living window into the time in which Lincoln lived and traveled throughout Illinois.

Some of the most beautiful and well-built furniture you will ever find is made by the Amish, and they also design and provide cabinets for kitchens, gazebos for yards and wooden toys for children. A visit to any of these businesses will give the visitor a sense of the past whenever they step inside to discover how harness, tack and buggies are made by the craftsmen, how horses are shod and how quilts are made. The Amish also repair bicycles, sell produce and custom butchered meats, make canvas awnings and boat covers, as well as vinyl products and lamps, restore furniture, sell all types of fabrics, do custom upholstery, maintain a health food store and offer many other services.

The Arthur Chamber of Commerce provides maps to identify the location of most of these cottage industries, but many can be located by driving the rural roads in the area and seeing the hand-painted signs.

Moultrie County Heritage Center

The Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society's purpose is to bring together those interested in the history and genealogy of Moultrie County, to discover, collect, and preserve any material which may help establish or illustrate the history of the area and all its people, to provide for the cataloging and for the preservation of such material and for its accessibility to those who wish to examine or study it. Also, to stimulate and encourage an interest in the genealogy of our ancestors, to promote and publish material in a quarterly publication covering Moultrie County, other counties, neighboring states, and other areas from which our settlers and ancestors came.

If you are looking for Lincoln in Moultrie County, this is a good place to start! The Heritage Center has a large collection of historical and genealogical data pertaining not only to Moultrie County, but to most of the continental United States. Limited research is done free for members of the Society who enclose a SASE with their query.

Hours:
Sat & Mon : 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Arrangements for special group tours can
be made by calling the Heritage Center.

Moultrie County Courthouse

The Moultrie County Courthouse is the only site in Moultrie County, Illinois that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located in the county seat of Sullivan, the courthouse has been listed on the register since 1995.

The people voted in the spring of 1904 to build the court house and work was commenced as soon as the contract was let that summer and the corner stone was laid Oct 14, 1904.

The Moultrie County Courthouse was dedicated November 12, 1906. It was authorized by the citizens in February 1904, designed by Deal & Ginzel, Lincoln, IL and built by H. B. Walter, Danville, IL for $87,000, including furnishings. It is 75 feet by 90 feet and 112 feet to the top of the dome. There is a marker outside that denotes this location was a stop on Lincoln’s Eighth Judicial Circuit, as well as other beautiful markers and statuary.

Address:
10 South Main St., Sullivan, IL

Contact:
(217) 728-4622

Hours:
Mon - Fri : 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Closed on holidays.

Decatur

Macon County has a rich Lincoln history and many Lincoln “firsts.” Decatur was the first
Illinois home of the Abraham Lincoln family, he was first nominated for the presidency at
the state Republican party convention and he made his first political speech in downtown
Decatur. In addition when he rode the circuit he tried several cases in Decatur. The log
courthouse where those cases were heard still exists in the Prairie Village at the Macon
County Historical Society Museum. The museum also features a video called “Lincoln in
Macon County” that tells the story of his relationship to this area.

There are tremendous opportunities for recreation including beautiful Lake Decatur, which is
surrounded by parks, nature trails and a golf course. Scoville Park on the lake includes the
Children’s Museum of Illinois and the Scoville Zoo, as well as a wonderful playground and
picnic area. It is the perfect place to take the kids. Added to all of this are 300 plus
festivals and events each year. This and Decatur’s central location make it an ideal
jumping off place to look for Lincoln.

Macon County Museum Complex

The Macon County Historical Society had its birth on May 25, 1916, when twelve people met in the Decatur Public Library, adopted a constitution, and elected temporary officers. In August, 1916 there was an appeal for members at the Old Settlers’ Picnic for any items of historical interest. The Society had plans “to establish a library of local and state history, to maintain a museum, and to cultivate the historic sense and diffuse knowledge upon these subjects by meeting and publications”. On more than one occasion over the years the Society became inactive and then reorganized. In 1962 several local citizens met to discuss the reactivation of the Society, with meetings being held in Decatur’s old Carnegie Library until the Society purchased the old North Cumberland Presbyterian Church to establish their new museum and a meeting place.

This five-acre site contains a number of buildings that help to interpret the heritage of the area. Called the Prairie Village, this complex contains the Mueller Gun Shop, which by means of a recently produced video retraces Lincoln’s history in Macon County. An old Log Court House, originally on another site was saved and moved to this property. It is significant because Lincoln tried two cases in this building.

Address:
5580 North Fork Road
Take the Airport Road off of east or west bound Route 36, turn north past airport to first stop sign which is North Fork/Country Club Roads, turn right to 5580 North Fork Road

Contact:
(217) 422-4919

Hours:
Tues - Sat : 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Paris-Springfield Road

Sand Creek Conservation Area

Walk in the Footsteps of Abraham Lincoln on the Paris-Springfield Road.

The Paris-Springfield Road was one of the earliest roads in Central Illinois . Named for the two towns it ran between (Paris, Illinois and Springfield, Illinois) the road gave settlers a way to move farm products and other goods between nearby towns and states as it connected with other roads. Locally, it ran through Macon County and helped Decatur grow before railroads were built.

The Paris-Springfield Road's most famous traveler was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln and his extended family used the road when they made their first Illinois home in Macon County in March of 1830. Lincoln later used the road as a politician and as a lawyer on Illinois' eighth judicial circuit when he tried cases in many towns including Decatur, IL.

One part of the road is now preserved and open to visitors at Sand Creek Conservation Area. You can learn a piece of Illinois history by walking in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln. At the east end of the parking area look for a large informational display which tells more of the story of this important road.

The Paris-Springfield Road is part of the Sand Creek Conservation Area.

Address:
Sand Creek Conservation Area is a 755-acres open space site, located just south of the City of Decatur off South Franklin Street

Richard J. Oglesby Mansion

Richard J. Oglesby is best known both as a friend and political ally of Abraham Lincoln. Oglesby helped form the "Railsplitter Candidate" image which put Lincoln in the national spotlight during the 1860 presidential election. Oglesby was also with Lincoln when he died in 1865 and as Governor of Illinois he lead the effort to build Lincoln's Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. In his later years Oglesby helped preserve Lincoln's historical legacy and shape the heroic legend of Abraham Lincoln through his speeches and interviews.

His life was filled with many accomplishments including being elected three times as Governor of Illinois and appointed a United States Senator. Oglesby made a small fortune in the California Gold Rush and also fought in both the Mexican War and Civil War eventually becoming a general. Governor Oglesby had the Mansion built around 1874. The highlight of the Mansion's history is a visit by former Civil War General and United States President Ulysses S. Grant in 1880. From one of the Mansion's verandas Grant spoke to a crowd of people during an encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Civil War veterans' association.

Richard J. Oglesby Mansion

The Mansion possesses features of the Italianate style including brackets under the eaves, the low-pitched roof with belvedere (a flat deck area at the roof's center with a balustrade), bay windows and verandas. The interior features vibrant parquet wood flooring, seven fireplaces and a walnut staircase. Throughout the house are furnishings of the era including several items owned by the Oglesby Family.

Address:
421 W. William St., Decatur, IL

Contact:
Phone: (217) 921-0760
To schedule a group tour: (217)429-9422

Downtown Decatur

Arguably one of the most important downtown areas in Lincoln lifetime, visitors can trace his very beginnings in Illinois to his run for the presidency. At the corner of Main and Merchant Streets a statue of Lincoln commemorates the site of his important “Stump Speech” that propelled him into political prominence. At Main Street Bank & Trust parking lot, plaque marks the site of “The Wigwam” where Lincoln was nominated for President by John Palmer during the 1860 Illinois Republican Convention. Also introduced at this site was Richard Oglesby’s famed slogan, “Abe Lincoln, The Rail Splitter Candidate for President of 1860.”

At the Southwest Corner of Main and Main Streets, A bronze monument marks the original site of the old log cabin courthouse where Lincoln tried five cases. The original building sits on the site of the Macon County Museum Complex.
These sites and many more await and, scattered around, telling the tales of Lincoln in Decatur are more than ten Looking for Lincoln Story Trail Waysides. He arrived in Decatur, he worked here, and he moved on from Decatur after more than two decades. Much of it happened right in this historic downtown.

Downtown Decatur

Bursting with unique boutiques, specialty shops, and restaurants, you will also find five art galleries within a one-square block area. The oldest building still standing in Downtown Decatur was built in 1856 and first used as a church. Now restored, it holds apartments and commercial space. The hub of their thriving community, downtown is famous for its many street festivals and seasonally coordinated special events.

Homestead Prairie Farm

Rock Springs Conservation Area

The Trobaugh-Good House
Walk into the past to an exciting place where the days before the Civil War live on. Homestead Prairie Farm is built around the Trobaugh-Good House located at Rock Springs Conservation Area. It has been restored to let visitors explore rural life on the Grand Prairie of Illinois in 1860 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Originally constructed by an unknown builder around 1850 as a one room log house, its name comes from the first two families who lived there.

Joseph Trobaugh from Tennessee, his wife Elizabeth born in Illinois and their family were the first known occupants of the house and owned it from 1853 to 1866. Trobaugh was a farmer and sawmill operator. He changed the house by adding rooms and making other renovations.

Homestead Prairie Farm

Emanuel Good, a Civil War veteran, along with his wife and children were the second family to live there. The Goods owned the house from 1866 to 1903, selling it one year after Emanuel's death.

Today the house is furnished to reflect the lifestyle of the Trobaughs, their boarders, hired hands, and neighbors in 1860, whose lives were being affected by the important changes sweeping the nation in the last years before the Civil War.

Bethel School

Friends Creek Conservation Area

Step back in time in a one room country school. The name "Bethel School" has a long history in Friends Creek Township. The first Bethel School built in the 1850's in Section 7 of the township was a log structure. By 1890 with a donation of land from John Brown in Section 8 the current Bethel School was built. For nearly 56 years the school served the neighborhood students until 1946 when it was closed. As part of a statewide trend in the 1940's and 1950's most one room schools in Macon County were closed and the students transferred to larger schools. Purchased by Sam Kohler the Bethel School was moved to his property about a mile south to be used as an implement and tool shed.

With the purchase of his property in 1969 by the Macon County Conservation District the school was moved yet again in 1982 a short distance to its present location as part of Friends Creek Conservation Area. From 1982 to 1985 with help from several donors including the Winings Trust along with dedicated volunteers and staff it was restored to its current appearance. Historic Bethel School is part of the Friends Creek Conservation Area.

Taylorville

Taylorville is often referred to as “the last stop” because when Lincoln and his fellow lawyers, including Stephen A. Douglas, rode the 8th judicial circuit Taylorville was often the last place they stopped before going back to Springfield.

The actual old courthouse that was the site of many Lincoln trials has been preserved at the Christian County Historical Museum complex. This 1839 building has been totally restored in appearance using the original specifications for construction. Interior furnishings echo other old courtrooms of the period. The museum complex also includes other buildings of the period as well as a local history museum.

Recently Christian County restored their lovely old courthouse by exposing a spectacular glass dome that had been hidden by a false ceiling. The courthouse is the center of a handsome square that features a number of shops and restaurants.

Christian County Historical Soc. & Museum

In the 1840’s and 1850’s when Abraham Lincoln rode the 8th judicial circuit, the last stop was in Taylorville, Illinois. While not in its original location on the city square, the first Christian County Courthouse still exists and is now part of The Christian County Historical Museum. The white frame building was built in 1839 and was restored using original specifications for construction. The simple almost crude interior furnishings echo courtrooms of the period when the practice of law was less formal than it is today. The Historical Museum grounds also include a one-room schoolhouse, an 1800’s train depot, a log house dating to the 1820’s and several buildings that include an amazing array of exhibits and artifacts.

Address:
At Route 29 and 48 on Morrison Dr.
27 miles from Springfield on Route 29.

Christian County Courthouse

Taylorville, Illinois, is home to the Christian County Courthouse, and county seat. The County Seat was established in 1839. Inside the building, visitors can find a number of actual Lincoln documents on display and assorted displays for Lincoln the Lawyer.
The 1902 courthouse is the county’s third. The first one was built in 1840 and used until 1856. Up until 1853, it was the last stop on Abraham Lincoln’s 8th Judicial Circuit route and where Lincoln reportedly issued a “writ of quietus” to silence the sound of hogs that were disrupting a trial. The original courthouse has been moved to the grounds of the Christian County Historical Museum at Illinois 29 and 48 on Morrison Drive.

Address:
101 South Main Street
Taylorville, IL 62568-2276

Hours:
Mon - Fri : 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

The Lincoln Prairie Trail

The hike and bike trail follows historic rail bed 15 miles between Taylorville and Pana. Rustic bridges, wild flowers, prairie plants, songbirds and woodlands create a scenic sanctuary. This section of trail offers a unique opportunity to get out of the car and stretch or even hop on a bike and explore the land as Lincoln knew it along this marvelously exciting stretch of prairie land.

Address:
Taylorville entrance/exit on
Pawpaw
Street Near intersections of IL 29
South and IL 48